A Comedy of Errors FMA Style!
by A Musing Cat
Summary: Shakespear's comedy about mixed up identiities, with modernised speech and the cast of fullmetal alchemist! rated for safety.CANCELED


_One day, in drama practice, I noticed a resemblance between Roy mustang and a character in the play we were performing. And so my muse decided to pester me till I wrote this. And I must listen to my slave-driver muse. So, this is based off a Shakespeare play, with modernized speech and the characters of FMA. Also, this has absolutely no relation to the actual story of Fullmetal Alchemist; they're just… performing a play. Also, there are slight EdXWinry, AlXWinry and RoyXRiza pairings, simply because of the plotline. Oh, and characters may be slightly OOC. _

_Well, enjoy and please review! On with the show!_

_Disclaimer: neither Fullmetal alchemist, nor 'a comedy of errors' are mine._

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Act I

SCENE I

'The trial of the Syracusian alchemist'

Within a courtyard in the center of the city of Ephesus, a large crowd gathers, eagerly gossiping to one another. With the appearance of fuehrer King Bradley upon a raised platform, they fall silent. They begin whispering and pointing as two blue-uniformed military members escort a ragged man (obviously a prisoner from the state of his clothing) to stand before the platform.

The man is tall and has his long blond hair tied back in a ponytail. He has a beard and a general expression of resignation, seemingly accepting whatever fate is to befall him. He sighs slightly as King Bradley raises his hands for silence.

As everything quiets down, the prisoner speaks.

"King Bradley," he murmurs "choose my fate quickly so my troubles might end."

King Bradley quickly answers him. "Alchemist Hohenheim of Syracuse, as of late, turmoil has sprung up between our fine land of Ephesus and your homeland, caused by the decision of your king to execute our merchants unjustly. We have no pity for you, alchemist, as it is currently common knowledge that if anyone who was born in Ephesus is seen in Syracuse, they will die and vise versa. And unless 100,000 sens be paid as ransom by his homeland, die he will. Your value, at the highest, barely reaches 10,000 sens. And so, by law, you are condemned to die."

At this, the crowd that has gathers bursts into cries of support. Hohenheim's expression doesn't even change once.

"While I as a human try to pull away from my death, part of me is almost glad to hear this." He says, the multitude of spectators hushing up to listen to him, "all my misery may finally end, if only by my execution."

King Bradley stares at him thoughtfully for a moment. In a moment, he shrugs and says "Well, it sounds as if you have a story to tell. Why don't you quickly let us all know why it is you've come to Ephesus?"

Hohenheim glances up at him then nods briefly. "I will…" he mumbles, "but it is a bit of a lengthy story."

"This end I have come to was set by nature, not by some offence I have committed. I was born in Syracuse and I married a beautiful woman. We were very happy together, and my alchemy skills insured our prosperity. But because of it, I had to often make trips to far off lands, forcing me to leave her behind far too often.

One day, she came to see me in our central city, taking our two sons with her. The boys were a year apart in age but seemed nearly the same in their appearance. At the same inn where she and I stayed, a wealthy man asked me to apprentice his own two sons, who were older then mine and teach them alchemy. I agreed, as I was already teaching my boys alchemy and thought that it would not hurt for them to have partners with which to study.

The next day, my family and I, along with my new apprentices, boarded a ship for our next destination. The seas seemed calm at first, but a storm soon arose. In an act of cowardice, the ship's crew all abandoned it and headed back to shore, leaving our fates to chance. My wife took some rope and tied one of our sons and one of my apprentices to a mast, while I did the same.

I wish we had not bound them to two different masts though! Once the children were secure, we both bound ourselves to a mast, so that we'd be safe as well.

As the storm cleared, we saw two different ships heading our way, one with the sign of Corinth, the other Epidarus. We hoped they would reach us quickly, but my luck just wouldn't hold. Before either ship was close enough to help us, our boat crashed into an underwater reef, tearing it in two, so that one of my sons and one of my apprentices was on one half with my wife and the others were with me on a separate piece of the wreckage.

The boat for Corinth picked me up, but my wife and other child were taken by the ship from Epidarus. I haven't seen them since."

Hohenheim stops speaking here and lets out (yet another) sigh. King Bradley takes advantage of his pause to venture at what has brought Hohenheim to Ephesus.

"So, you have come here looking for your wife, son and apprentice." He pauses for a moment. "The man whose children you apprenticed couldn't have been thrilled about that predicament."

Hohenheim chuckles softly. "He wasn't. His other son is now in his twenties, while mine is roughly 16. Both are aware that their lost brothers are together, and they asked me if they could go to search for their siblings. I consented, and chose to look on my own as well, so we might cover twice as much ground. It has been four years since I last saw my son, as that was when we both began our journeys. That is the end of my tale, and, I suppose, my life as well. I just wish I could have found my son before I met my end."

The crowd is quiet now, save for the occasional sniffle from more sentimental viewers. King Bradley notices that most of his citizens, earlier thirsting for Hohenheim's blood, have expressions of sympathy upon their faces.

King Bradley turns back to Hohenheim and makes a decision.

"Hohenheim Elric, alchemist of Syracuse. I doubt there are many people out there who have had quite as queer luck in their lives as you. Now, if it were up to me, I would simply let you go. However, I cannot break our laws so heavily."

The crowd Boos angrily, annoyed that their king cannot be more lenient towards the pitiable alchemist.

"However," King Bradley says over them, "I will give you chance. If in the next 24 hours, if you can collect the money for your ransom, I will set you free. Beg or borrow, as you must, from any friends you have in Ephesus. BUT, if you are unable to collect the amount required, you are doomed to die. Jailers, take him into custody."

This last sentence is spoken to the men who escorted Hohenheim to his trial, and they each grip one of Hohenheim's shoulders, and start to lead him away. As the crowd parts to let them pass, they hear Hohenheim say softly to himself:

"While some would say I have been given a chance to live, I feel as if I have only procrastinated my end."

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_I did it! does victory dance _

_Whew! My first chapter ever! After putting off homework and the science fair, I got it done, yep! Or actually, just the prologue, but…oh well! In any case, this isn't very humorous right now but it gets better! you can expect the next chapter in the next week or so.  
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_Please leave a review, flame away, whatever. _


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